


Casulaties

by LadyNovaJade



Series: Alternate Universe [4]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Angst, F/M, Fluff, Romance, Slow Burn, Team Building, Trust Issues, bad language, family stuff, lots of emotions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-19
Updated: 2016-05-19
Packaged: 2018-06-09 10:43:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6902614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyNovaJade/pseuds/LadyNovaJade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Toni Stark and Bruce Banner: Mad Scientists Take Two goes well in the birth of the Vision, but puts a strain between Toni and Steve.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Casulaties

_ It worked. _

It was the only thought that registered in Toni’s mind as she watched the creation that Ultron started and Thor brought to life stare out at the New York landscape from the glass windows. Okay, so it wasn’t the only thought she had, but it was the loudest.

_ I can’t believe that just worked,  _ she thought again, as she lightly jogged down the stairs in the lab and headed toward where Thor was standing. Steve shot her a glance that told her to stay put, but after what he had just pulled (not trusting her again, picking the damn Maximoff girl over her! What the fuck was that all about?), Captain America was the last person Toni was going to listen to.

Steve hopped over the railing and down to the living area where Thor and the creation stood.  _ Correction _ , Toni thought as she swiftly made her way into the area as well.  _ The creation is levitating. _

As the others started to follow and make their way into the room, the creation turned, floating back toward everyone. Steve instinctively began to raise his shield, but Thor shook his head, causing everyone to halt in their steps. In fact, Thor cautiously moved to a nearby table and gently set Mjolnir down with a soft clink.

Toni swallowed hard, her right-hand of her suit still active on her arm, the weight of the metal heavy and comforting. She very much hoped she wouldn’t have to use it. Especially as the more she studied the purple-ish man who slowly turned and headed toward the group, the more she was floored by his existence. She couldn’t help but be completely enamoured by him. Part cellular, part vibranium.

He was absolutely the most glorious thing she had ever been apart of.

When he reached the group of them, the creation looked over at Thor and nodded in … respect?

“I’m sorry that was … odd,” he — it — said to the demi-god, and in such a familiar voice, a bit of Toni melted. “Thank you.”

The tension in the air almost suffocated Toni. But while she knew her counterparts feared this creation (and yes, she didn’t blame them after the last experiment she and Banner did went completely a-wall), Toni couldn’t deny the joy she felt at seeing it. This was it. This was what she had hoped for. 

Of course, the others weren’t ready to accept it, this thing brought to life because of Toni’s crackpot idea and a vision Thor had. Steve was asking an incessant amount of questions. If he hadn’t just proven once again how much he didn’t trust her, she wouldn’t be so mad at him for being a worry wart. But because he had to be a gigantic asshole…

“Why does your ‘Vision’ sound like Jarvis?” Steve asked bluntly, turning to Toni now. 

_ Oh so now I’m to be interrogated, _ she thought as she took a step closer to the Vision — that was a good name for him, actually. She was hoping he would keep it. 

Toni cleared her throat as her eyes continued to catalogue features about the new creation standing before her. Not her creation, mind you. She knew she was only the instigator. But still, he was something amazing to behold. 

“We … reconfigured Jarvis’ matrix. Creating something new,” Toni answered softly, walking around the Vision. “Something amazingly new.” 

Steve scoffed at that, “I think I’ve had my fill of new.”

“You think I’m a child of Ultron?” Vision asked, his voice monotone, not even a hint of the sarcasm Toni had programed Jarvis with. 

“You’re not?” Steve accused. 

Vision looked at Toni as she came around the other side of him and then down at his own hands. “I’m not Ultron. I’m not Jarvis. I am …” He trailed off and then looked up at all of them. “I am.” 

The interrogation continued, with even Bruce and Clint jumping in on asking questions as the Vision and Thor defended him, all of it coming to a head when Steve demanded to know if the Vision was on their side. 

“It is not that simple, Captain,” Vision responded, almost as if he were talking with a headstrong child. That made Toni feel good. 

“Well, I think it’s time it got real simple real quick,” Clint chimed it. He paced the perimeter of the space they occupied and had been doing so during the entire confrontation. Wound tight like a snake waiting to strike. 

“I am on the side of life. Ultron isn’t. He will end it all,” Vision answered, turning slightly toward Clint as he spoke.

The reality of it, how the words echoed what Fury had said at Barton’s home, hit Toni hard. She pursed her lips, glancing around at everyone else. It wasn’t lost on them either. 

“What’s he waiting for?” she asked softly, the first question she had voiced in this whole ordeal. She was sure she already knew the answer. 

Vision turned and looked at her as if he could see all her fears. “You,” he said, cool and level. 

“Where?” Bruce asked as he too took a closer step toward Vision. The creation didn’t break his gaze from Toni however, as if he was attempting to show her how it would end if they didn’t all work together. More points were made; Clint said Ultron was in Sokovia, where he was holding Nat. That made sense to Toni, to go back where it kind of technically began for Ultron, in that dark, dank dungeon in Strucker’s place. Steve and Vision went back and forth again. Thor jumped in. The Maximoff girl said something. Toni really wasn’t concentrating on any of it. She had to fix this, even if she had to go confront Ultron herself…

“I’m not what you are,” Visions words brought Toni back to the moment. “And not what you intended. So there may be no way to make you trust me.” 

He then turned and she watched with wide eyes as Vision picked up Thor’s hammer with complete ease and turned to the demi-god, holding it out for him to take. “But we need to go.” 

It was like time totally came to a complete stop. Toni sucked in a breath as the rest of the Avengers gazed at the Vision.  _ How did he do that?  _ Toni thought, her brain racing. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Steve take a step forward and then stop. Bruce’s mouth opened and then closed. Even Clint was fucking quiet, which was a damn feat for him. 

Thor, on the other hand, looked as if he had won the lotto as he gently took the hammer from the Vision. After the creation walked off, Thor tapped the hammer against his palm and grinned around at his teammates. “Right then.” He went to follow the Vision, walking past Toni. He patted her shoulder affectionately. “Well done, Antonia.” 

“Um,” Toni started, licking her lips as Thor passed by. “Thank you?” 

The silence was odd as everyone turned to Steve — save Toni because he wasn’t her “leader” or boss or whatever the fuck. He sighed heavily, looking resigned actually, which was odd to her. “Three minutes,” he said stoically. “Get what you need, then we head out.” 

Everyone else seemed to hesitate a moment before breaking. But Toni didn’t wait around. Because she knew what would happen if she did. Steve would want to talk and at that moment, she didn’t want to deal with him more than she absolutely needed too. 

So she made her way to her lab. She needed a new interface for the suit and her other various programs now that Jarvis was … the Vision. Yeah, they had to make that name stick. It just worked too well, despite Captain Asshat’s influence. 

Toni had the system running checks on her suit while she dug around in a closet for the box of prototype interfaces she had developed way back when. Surely to God, the fuckers were in there somewhere. She was always so organized, but this box she remembered just tossing in the back because she thought she’d never need to replace Jarvis. 

While she was fighting equipment and the stupid swell of emotion that suddenly crawled up her throat, out of the corner of her eye, she saw her doorway darken with a broad figure. With a big, fat, dumbass head. 

“Toni,” Steve said quietly. “We should talk.” 

“Busy, Cap,” Toni replied in a clipped tone. “You said three minutes and I have to complete a systems check on the suit, plus upload a new interface system and get it integrated into the suit before take off. That’s gonna take every spare bit of concentration I have.” 

He sighed heavily and walked into the lab, the door sliding shut behind him. “Look, I know you’re upset right now, and you have every right to be.” 

“Ah ha!” she exclaimed, completely ignoring him as her fingers closed around the small cardboard box and she pulled it out. “Found you, you little asshole.” 

“Toni,” Steve tried again. 

“Don’t have time, Steven. Just told you that,” Toni said, a bit more of her annoyance leaking through and directed at him. 

He walked over to her computer desk as she sat down and leaned down to try to catch her gaze. “We need to take time for this. Come on,” he said. 

She dug through the box. “I feel like maybe you should not piss me off anymore right before we go into battle, Steve,” she replied as controlled as she could.

“Well despite what you may think, I believe this is important enough to discuss now,” Steve said forcefully. 

Toni pulled out one of the chips labeled “F.R.I.D.A.Y” and stuck it into port stand connected to her computer just for the hell of it. She began typing away as the program came to life; “Good evening, Boss” the Irish woman’s voice greeted her. 

“Fine, you’re right. There is something important we need to discuss,” she conceded. “We need to think about leaving Bruce out of this one.” 

Steve sighed and hung his head as he leaned against the desk. “That’s not …”

“I mean, he’s still pretty shaken up about South Africa and the last thing I want to do is make him feel uncomfortable again,” she continued as she watched the upload of F.R.I.D.A.Y. and the systems check on her screens. “He’s already done his part. We should probably see if he’s game to find Nat while we lock down the rest of the city.” 

“Yes, I completely agree with you. The thing we really need to talk about though…” Steve started again. 

“And you know Bruce. He closes off and pushes us away and we can’t let him do that again. Not after that,” Toni rambled on, grabbing her faceplate and flipping it over to tinker with a few weak spots the scan had found. “We gotta keep it together for him.”

“Toni, stop,” he said softly, grabbing the armrests of her desk chair and turning her to face him. “Look at me.” 

She sighed and her eyes darted up to his. He looked concerned. And like a kicked puppy. She told herself those baby blues and that pouty bottom lip weren’t doing it for her.

“I’m sorry,” Steve said softly, his eyes begging her to listen to him. 

Those two words though made her scoff. “You’re sorry?” she asked. “That’s what you think is going to make me feel better?”

He hung his head.

“Here, let me just give you a little crash course in the ‘I’m sorry’ realm, Cap. ‘I’m sorry’ is for when you are late to dinner. Or when you don’t notice if I got a new hair cut. Or you break a plate in the sink. Or when you knock me on my ass during sparring training,” Toni fumed. “What just happened back there? That is not an ‘I’m sorry’ moment, okay?”

“You’re right…”

“You’re damn right I’m right,” she fired back, pushing away from him and standing up. She had to put some distance between them. Otherwise he might try something. Like kiss her. And she might let him. 

“I thought we were over this,” she finished lamely, crossing her arms over her chest.

Steve hung his head again, hands on his hips. “I know. And though you don’t want to hear it, I am sorry, Toni. I just … let my fear take control.” 

“Your fear?” she questioned. “You are so scared of me thinking for myself you’d rather trust that little  _ witch,  _ who until 15 hours ago need I remind you, was ready to tear us apart? Limb by limb?” 

To that he said nothing. Toni shook her head. “Jesus, Steve. What do I have to do, huh?” she questioned. “Huh?! Thor was mad at me for being a dumbass with Ultron, but he got over it and understands what I was trying to do with Vision!” 

Steve offered her no reply again and she swallowed hard. “What is it about me that makes you act this way?” 

“It’s not you, Toni,” he whispered, rubbing the back of his neck.

She scoffed, “I swear to GOD if you use the whole ‘It’s not you, it’s me’ bit I’m going to hand you your perfect ass on a platter.” 

Steve gave her a disapproving look. Toni baited him more by cocking her eyebrow and daring him to say the words. Instead, he surprised her by crossing the room with purposeful steps. Her eyes went wide and she took a step back. 

“Don’t you dare come over here and try to …” she started, but stopped when his hands cupped her face and he kissed her. 

Her body melted, fucking traitorous thing. Just went pliant against him as the searing kiss brought back memories of those stolen moments in the Barton house. When Steve made her feel … beautiful. Loved. That she was worth something and that he saw it every time he looked at her. 

Then she remembered Little Miss Thing with the powers spoke in her sultry accent and Steve believed what she said in a heartbeat. 

Toni pushed away, gently, and turned her head. “Steve… a kiss isn’t going to make you trust me,” she said softly. 

“No, it’s going to make me remember,” he replied. 

That caused her to turn her gaze back to him. She knew he could read the question in her eyes, so she kept her lips shut, waiting for his explanation. 

He drew in a deep breath, slipping one hand back into her hair. “Toni, I let my fear get to me, yes. I was afraid for you. I know it doesn’t come off that way, that I didn’t trust you, but that is far from it. I do trust you.”  Steve paused and took her hand with his free one, pressing her palm against his chest, his heart beating underneath rapidly. “I don’t want to see you hurt. I know how much you’ve beaten yourself up over Ultron, how much I played a part in that, and I couldn’t bare to see you put yourself through it again if this … Vision didn’t come out right.” 

Toni licked her lips and lowered her gaze from him. He was telling the truth; that was clear from just staring into his eyes. But she could hear it in his voice too. “You should have been a little less combative about it.” 

He nodded, fingers flexing against her scalp. “Yes, you’re right. I should have. I acted without thinking too much about it,” he said softly. 

“Very uncharacteristic of you, Captain,” she mused. “That’s usually my M.O.” 

Steve gave her a soft smile and at that, Toni finally let go of the tension and leaned back into him. He wrapped his arms around her, a sense of relief apparently washing over him as well. His lips pressed against the top of her head. “I’m so sorry, Toni. I went at it all wrong,” he whispered. “But I trust you with my life. Okay? Don’t ever doubt that.”

She burrowed against him and nodded, because there really was nothing she could think to say at the moment. Shocking, even to her. 

He must have sensed her reserve still because he pulled back and cupped her face again, bending down slightly to meet her gaze. “I mean it, Toni.”

She nodded and closed her eyes to stop the tears threatening. Geez, when had she become such a sap? “I know. You’re always honest, that whole bit,” she replied. 

“I am,” Steve answered swiftly. “Which is why I’m going to honestly tell you right now that I need to kiss the hell out of you.” 

Toni couldn’t help it; she let out a laugh as Steve smiled and leaned in, promptly kissing the hell out of her. To the point she was grasping at his shoulders and his uniform, trying to climb him like he was a goddamn tree. 

“Boss, my interface has completed its download and the systems check on the Mark IX is complete,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. interrupted, causing Toni and Steve to pull apart.

“Duty calls,” she whispered as she ducked her chin, hating how sheepish her voice sounded. 

Steve curled a finger under her chin and lifted her face again. “You okay?”

She sighed and nodded. Then her eyes narrowed at him. “You're still an ass,” she whispered. 

He smiled ruefully. “Yes, but as I recall you love my ass.” 

Toni rolled her eyes, “Great, now you’re getting to be sarcastic like me? Shit…” 

He leaned down and kissed her again; Toni happened to forget then what was going on. She was tempted, when he pulled back and brushed the back of his fingers gently along her cheek, to forget everything and drag him up to her bed. 

“Boss, the others are gathering at the Quinjet,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. interrupted again and Toni drew in a deep breath. 

“We aren’t done with this yet,” she said honestly. She couldn’t let him just get off so easily. 

Steve nodded seriously, fingers carding through her hair. “I know, honey.”

She gathered up her faceplate and instructed F.R.I.D.A.Y. to have the rest of her Mark IX suit loaded up into the Quinjet. Standing outside of the plane, Steve told her he had a plan in mind on how to approach the situation, since they still weren’t quite sure what the robot’s plans were. As they two of them were mulling it over, watching as the rest of the team boarded the plane, Bruce ventured over. 

“I take this as the happy couple is back together?” the doctor asked with a bit of humor in his voice. 

Steve crossed his arms and smiled as he shook his head. Toni took the path of rolling her eyes and flipping her friend off. 

Bruce smiled a bit though, which was something good. “I imagine we’re discussing a plan?” 

“That we are Dr. Banner,” Steve answered. “We have to be careful how we approach this.” 

Bruce nodded, “Which was why I wanted to suggest…”

Toni waved her hand, cutting him off, “Don’t worry, we’ve already decided you shouldn’t be apart of the fight.” 

That made Bruce’s eyes go wide, “You … you already decided?” he asked, a little surprised. “You two went all parental on me?” 

Toni groaned, “No, we did not…”

This time the good doctor actually laughed, “Oh my god, you’re already turning into an old married couple.” 

“Hey,” Toni pointed at him. “Shut your mouth.” 

But Bruce chuckled again, “This is so great.” 

Steve cleared his throat, “I think we need to get back on track here guys.”

Toni sighed, crossing her arms and dropping her head. “I’ll be honest with you two … I’m not having high hopes with this.” 

That got their attentions. Bruce cleared his throat, “We have a good chance, Toni.” 

She shook her head, “Come on. There’s no way we all get through this, you know,” she pointed out. “We’ve got to destroy every single tin soldier. If even one gets away, we’ve lost. That’s a big task … there’s probably gonna be blood on the floor.” 

It was Steve’s turn to draw in a big breath, “Well, I’ve got no plans tomorrow night.”

Toni turned to him wide-eyed before she reached over and punched his shoulder as hard as she could, “What the hell? Don’t say that…” 

“So what, you were just talking about you dying then?” Steve accused, Brooklyn accent strong as his brow pinched together. 

She pursed her lips together and shrugged, “If anyone should…”

“Toni, that’s ridiculous,” Bruce countered. “You have to stop sacrificing yourself, okay?” 

She shook her head more to keep the tears from welling up than anything, “A problem for another day, Doc.” She wiped her palms on her jeans. “Let’s just say then that I get first crack at the big guy. It’s Iron Woman he wants.” 

“That’s true,” the Vision interrupted as he boarded the Quinjet. “He hates you the most.” 

To that Toni just shrugged. It was the truth after all.

Bruce drew in a deep breath, “So, you’re leaving me out of the fight?” 

Steve nodded, “We don’t need the Hulk, we need Bruce. You can head with Thor into Strucker’s compound. He’s going to find what that metal bot’s got planned for all the vibranium. While we’re evacuating the city, you can find Romanoff.” 

Bruce nodded thoughtfully, looking back and forth between the two of them. “Thank you,” he said simply before heading into the jet as well. 

When he was gone, Toni blew out a big breath, “I’m not lying, Steve. This one is going to be rough.” 

She felt him walk up behind her, rubbing her arms with his hands, “Yes, but we’ll make it. We always do.” 

Toni turned her head slightly back toward him, “One day, we won’t.”

He took hold of her shoulders then and twisted her around to face him, “Toni, what’s bugging you? Is it still what happened back in the lab with …”

Toni shook her head and waved him off. “No. I mean, yes, I’m still tiffed about that, but … I just got this feeling I can’t shake.” 

Steve drew her closer to him, wrapping her up in his arms. It struck Toni then how comforting the gesture was. How the warmth from him made her feel safe. “Toni, stay focused for me, okay? We need you.” 

She let out a shaky breath. Part of her couldn’t believe that they needed her. What they needed was someone who didn’t start fires they had to put out for her. She was a damn menace to them, or at least she had been. Everything in her wanted to make this right, and she would. But there was part of her that was terrified; scared livid that she’d have to lay down over the wire again, as Steve had so eloquently put to her all those months ago on the Helicarrier. She squeezed her eyes shut, “Okay.”

Steve pulled back at her voice, and tilted her head up again, looking at her sternly. “As a team, Toni. We do this together. All of us.” 

He was telling her they had her back; there was no solo anymore for Iron Woman. She prayed he was right. 

Toni nodded, “As a team.” 

Hell, there was no longer denying that; they would need together to be to put an end to all this.


End file.
